88th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry

Historical Sketch:
Cols., George P. McLean, George W. Gile, Louis Wagner; Lieut.-Cols., Joseph A. McLean, George W. Gile, Louis Wagner, Edmund A. Moss; Majs., George W. Gile, D. A. Griffith, Benezet F. Foust, John S. Steeple, Aaron Bright, Jr. The 88th regiment, three companies of which were recruited in Berks county and the remainder in Philadelphia, was known as the Cameron Light Guards and was mustered into the U. S. service at Philadelphia in Sept., 1861, for a three years' term. It was ordered to Washington on Oct. 1 and assigned to guard duty at Alexandria, where it received its arms and equipment. On Feb. 18, 1862, five companies were detailed for garrison duty in forts on the Potomac, and on April 17, the regiment, reunited, moved to Cloud's mills, to guard the line of the Orange & Alexandria railroad from Bull Run to Fairfax Court House. May 7, the command was ordered to report to Gen. McDowell and assigned to Gen. Ricketts' division, with which it fought at Cedar mountain, Thoroughfare gap, the second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam and Fredericksburg, its heaviest loss being at Bull Run, where 15 were killed, 102 wounded and 48 missing. It went into winter quarters at Fletcher's Chapel and, with the exception of the "Mud March," remained there until April 28, 1863, when it started on the Chancellorsville movement. Its part in this was not important, but its service at Gettysburg was brilliant and resulted in the capture of the colors of the 16th Ala. and 23d N. C. The regiment shared in the movements of the army during the remainder of the year, ending with the Mine Run campaign, after which it went into winter quarters at Culpeper. Enough men reenlisted to insure the continuance of the 88th as a veteran organization and on May 3, 1864, it broke camp and spent the next three days in guarding wagon trains on their way to the Wilderness. Engagements followed in rapid succession at Spottsylvania, the North Anna river, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor and White Oak swamp and on June 16 the command arrived at Petersburg. Here it was engaged on June 18 and at the Weldon railroad in August, besides performing arduous siege duties. In Feb., 1865, it joined in the Hatcher's run movement, being engaged at Dabney's mills and afterward encamping on Hatcher's run. It participated in the final assault on Petersburg and in the pursuit after the evacuation of the city and returned to Washington, where it was mustered out of the service on June 30, 1865. Roster:
The Roster of this unit contains the names of 3281 men.
Source:
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1
Bibliography:

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